Category Archives: Plugs

I’m a sucker for dates, which I have proven through some of the postsI made in the past years(except for 11/11/11 — totally wasn’t able to blog then; I wonder why), and today is no different when I got home past midnight and started seeing tweets saying, “Hey look, it’s 11/12/13!”

So look, it’s 11/12/13!

I was thinking of something to write today on my way home last night — you know, something personal and thought provoking and maybe a little dramatic, something normal for me — and then it hit me how selfish it seems to think of that now, in the light of the recent events that happened in my country.

So none of that now. Today is a good day to start doing something. If you haven’t started yet, that is.

Last weekend, Super Typhoon Yolanda (International Name: Haiyan) wrecked havoc in the Philippines. I’m pretty sure everyone knows about this already, and if you haven’t heard, then here’s a little infographic from UN-OCHA to give you the facts:

We were spared in Manila, and my friends and family are all safe, too, but the typhoon hit the area of the Philippines that don’t have enough capacity to bear with this kind of storm. WAIT, SCRATCH THAT. There is NO place here that can really take that kind of typhoon and not come face to face with devastation. Not to mention that’s also the part of the country devastated by a 7.2 magnitude earthquake a little less than a month ago. It’s just truly horrible and heartbreaking.

Today is a good day to start doing things, or to keep doing things. I’m a sucker for dates, and maybe you’re also amused with 11/12/13. If you want to do something different today, then I implore you: HELP. Every single help you can give is important and will go a long way. Donate your money, your time, your talent. This is not the time to be shy, or to think you can’t give something because everyone can give something.

It can be as easy as sending part of your salary/allowance for donation (and hey, it’s payday week this week). Or maybe even making personal sacrifices: bringing packed food to work so you won’t have to spend so much on food, or going for cheaper coffee instead of the overpriced ones for the rest of the month and giving what you saved to the groups organizing relief efforts. Or if you are going to eat out or get coffee, then dine at these places that promised to donate the proceeds for the typhoon victims.

Write about it, share information on your social media profiles.

Pray. And if you’re not the praying type, then just keep the people affected in mind for a few minutes in a day and let this be a factor in some of your decisions for the day.

Be kind, be patient, be gracious, be generous, be loving. Because we need to be this now more than ever.

We are never too poor not to give anything, or too powerless not to do anything.

Like this:

This day last year was the 2nd Filipino ReaderCon at the Filipinas Heritage Library. It was a fun, fun, fun bookish event, but one of the most memorable things I did as part of the organizers of the event was be a part of the first Filipino Readers’ Choice Awards. It was such a fun experience working behind the scenes in the awards, setting up voting forms, writing posts and cheering silently for the books that I hope would win. It also helped that I was working with two great girls (who know so much more than I do about books! :D).

I’ve been checking out my reviews before I wrote this post, and I saw some books I read and reviewed on the blog last year that fits the criteria (most fall under Chick Lit category…why am I not surprised? :D):

Nominating a book is as easy as filling out this form, and you can nominate more than one book! Don’t worry about nominating books that you think your friends have nominated too — we like reading your reasons for nominating. :) And yes, do tell your friends, your co-workers, and everyone you know about this. :D Nominations are open until August 23 — but don’t wait until the last day to nominate!

Like this:

I owe you guys a lot of reviews, and I promise to catch up on them on my long weekend this week and next. A short post is in order, just to let you guys know that yes, I’m still alive. Just terribly busy. And also, a year older.

Anyway, I was watching the latest episodes of The Lizzie Bennet Diaries (if you haven’t watched this fun and modern adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice…why haven’t you? Go watch,now), and I found out that Lizzie and Charlotte recently celebrated their birthdays. Being a March birthday, too, I wondered when their birthdays were, so I did a little search1. And then, surprise! We were all born on the same day – March 17! :)

Happy birthday! – Click to watch the video :)

Okay, fine, they’re fictional characters. But I think it’s still cool to share my birthday with these two girls on Youtube. :) At least, their fictional counterparts.

Like this:

In 2012, I was lucky to be included in the team that organized the first Filipino Readers’ Choice Awards that was a part of the 2nd Filipino ReaderCon that happened last August. It was fun because I saw so many Filipino books that I can add to my TBR. This year we’re sort of launching the awards a little bit earlier, so we readers can start recalling our favorite Philippine published books in 2012. :)

The Filipino Readers’ Choice Awards returns for its second straight year, engaging the Filipino reading public in honoring their favorite Philippine-published titles.

An initiative of the Filipino Book Bloggers Group, the Filipino Readers’ Choice Awards debuted at the 2nd Filipino Reader Conference in 2012, and was established to develop awareness and appreciation of Philippine literature, recognize the reader’s role in creating the meaning and experience of a literary work, and give the readers a voice in the Philippine book industry.

For 2013, the Filipino Readers’ choice awards will be open to books published from January to December 2012. Nomination period is set for May 2013, in preparation for the awards ceremony at 3rd Filipino ReaderCon in August.

Like this:

Just this morning, on my way to work, I was thinking of the reviews that I need to write for this blog, and felt a bit overwhelmed because I realized that I am really, really so behind. I really should get around to writing those reviews before they turn two months old.

But before that…I have this!

Last January, I met up with several Filipino Book Bloggers — a casual meet-up, but also not really because we talked about some serious bookish business! It feels like that meet-up was ages ago (and in a way, it was). I can’t help but remember that moment fondly now, because the things we talked about there are coming true now.

The Filipino Readers Choice Awards seeks to engage the Filipino reading public in honoring their favorite Philippine-published titles. An initiative of the Filipino Book Bloggers Group, the Filipino RCA was established to develop awareness and appreciation of Philippine literature; recognize the reader’s role in creating the meaning and experience of a literary work; and give the readers a voice in the Philippine book industry.

Nominations started last Monday and will be open until July 22. You can nominate any book published in the Philippines from January 2010 to December 2011 using this short nomination form. There are 8 categories all in all:

Children’s picture book

Chick lit

Novel in English

Novel in Filipino

Comics / Graphic novels

Short story anthology

Essay anthology

Poetry

Updates on the awards will be posted on the Filipino ReaderCon website (maintained by yours truly :) ), and the winners will be awarded during the 2nd Filipino ReaderCon on August 18 at theFilipinas Heritage Library (a post on this later on!).

I’m really excited about this not just because I’m a part of the committee for the awards, but because I’m really thrilled with the idea that my nominations count! That this time, we readers can decide which books are deserving of the awards. :) Doesn’t that make you feel good, too?

I already nominated several books I read and reviewed last year that I really liked. Have you nominated your favorites? If not, well, you have until the 22nd to do so! Snap to! :)